Press-on closure for filler pipes



July 26, 1960 1 E- ESHBAUGH ETAL 2,946,215

PRESS-ON CLOSURE FOR FILLER PIPES Filed Sept. 11, 1957 2 Sheets-Sheet 1n mi July 26, 1960 -J, E, ESHBAUGH ETAL 2,946,215

PRESS-ON CLOSURE FOR FILLER PIPES Filed Sept. ll, 1957 2 Sheets-Sheet 2l //IIIIIIIII.

nted States Patent C) y PRESS-ON CLOSURE FOR FILLER PIPES Jesse E.Eshbaugh, David G. Keil, and Alvin H. Schmidt, Flint. Mich., assignorsto General Motors Corporation, Detroit, Mich., a corporation of DelawareFixed sept. 11, 1951, ser. No. 683,252

4c1aims. (c1. 'lo-.169)

This invention relates to closures and more particularly .to closureswhich may be applied to the anged ends of ller pipes such as employed ongasoline tanks by merely pressing the closures without rotation intotheir positions on the flanged ends.

In automotive vehicles of recent design a difficulty has arisen insecuring adequate room in the body or fender structure for rotating theconventional gasoline tank caps or closures in placing them in theirlocked positions. Not only must suicient room be provided for the widthof such a cap or closure, but room must be provided for the operatorshand to move in turning the closure to its sealed or unsealed position.

The object of the present invention is to provide an improved closurewhich need only be linearly pressed on the outwardly anged end of afiller pipe.

Patented July 26, 1960 ICS the locking cylinder 20 when the latter isrotated by means of a key which'can be inserted in a keyway 30 (Fig. 5).A thin metal cover 32 is provided having an aperture 34 through whichthe key may be inserted and the aperture 34 is protected by. asmallelongated cover 36 pivoted in a conventional manner by a pin '40 to thecover 32. A spring 42 cooperates with a snap ring 44 to prevent rattlingof the small cover 36 on the assembly. An opening 37 in the frame 14provides sufficient clearance to permit the end of the pin 40 to movelaterally a suiiicient extent for seating or unseating of the cover overthe aperture 34.

A cup member 50` is loosely retained within a depending skirt 52 (Fig.4) which is an integral part of the frame 14. The margin of the cup 50is in the form of a circular flange 54 from which two upstanding tabs 56and 58 are struck. These tabs extend loosely up through two slots 60 and62 formed in the frame and are bent over as shown clearly in Fig. 4. Thetabs 56 and 58 are of such length that when the closure is removed froma ller pipe 10 a space of determined maximum extent exists between theflange S4 and the underside of thetop wall in the frame 14. A coilspring 61 is placed under compression between the end of the cup 50 andthe frame 14 and is retained in its position by a hub 63 whichconstitutes a portion of the frame in which the locking cylinder 20 ismounted. A ring.64 is joined or press-litted to the exterior of the cup50 to retain a sealing gasket 66 Another object of the present inventionis to provide a press-on closure which is simple in construction andwhich may be released from an out-turned filler pipe ange only by theuse of a key.

These and other important features of the invention will now bedescribed in detail in the specification and then pointed out moreparticularly in the appended claims.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a sectional view taken substantially on line 1 1 of Fig. 5through a closure in which the present invention is embodied the closureappearing in its unlocked or unsealed position with respect to theout-turned ange of a filler pipe;

Fig. 2 is a sectional view similar to that of Fig. l, but with theclosure in its locked or sealed position;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged view taken in section looking in the direction ofthe arrows 3 3 in Fig. 5;

Fig. 4 is a sectional view looking in the direction of the arrows 4 4 inFig. 5 the ller pipe being omitted;

Fig. 5 is a sectional view looking in the direction of the arrows 5 5 inFig. 1; and

Fig. 6 is a sectional view .looking in the direction of the arrows 6 6in Fig. 1.

The present closure is of the type which may be used to close the end ofa liller pipe having an out-turned ange such as the pipe 10 shown indot-and-dash lines in Fig. l and in solid lines in Fig. 2. This lillerpipe is illustrated with an out-turned peripheral ange 12 which isconventional in automotive use.

The closure itself includes a die cast frame 14 which is substantiallycylindrical in its exterior contour but is extended slightly indiametrically opposed portions 16 and 18 shown in Figs. 1 and 5. Theframe is centrally apertured to receive a locking cylinder 20. Thiscylinder is retained in its axial position by means of a snap ring 22and a coil spring 24. The latter bears down on the top surface of theframe 14. The upper end of the spring 24 presses upwardly against thecranks 80 which in turn bear against a disk 26 which is seated againstthe under side of a flange 28 formed on the top end of the cylinder. Thedisk 26 is so made as to interlock and rotate with in position on theunderside of the llange 54. v The extending portion-s 16 and 18 of theframe are formed with right angle passages70 and 72, respectively, andadjacent each of these passages and integral with the frame are two offour upstanding lugs 74. Each of these lugs is notched at its top as at76 (Fig. 5) for the retention of a trunnion portion 78 which is integralwith one of two bell cranks 80. Each crank 80 has a depending end 82forming a latch with a shoulder 83 adapted to engage the underside ofthe ange 12. The other end of each of the bell cranks 80 extendsinwardly, as shown in Fig. 5, to engage the underside of the disk 26.

Between each of the slots 60 and 62 and the right angle passage 70 or 72are located two upstanding projections and 92 joined by an inclinedportion 94. These projections and the portion 94 are integral with theframe 14 and the construction is clearly shown in Fig. 3. A partiallyinclined plate 96 connects the tops of each pair of the projections 90'and 92 and a space 98 is defined between the inclined frame portion 94and the plate'96 which cooperate to form finger guides. The disk 26 isprovided with two diagonally opposed fingers 101 and 102 integraltherewith and each of these is adapted to bear against the underside andinclined portion of the plate 96. Assuming that the closure is to beapplied to seal a ller pipe, ysuch closure is rst placed on the fillerpipe ange 12 as discosed in Fig. l. The subsequent application of aslight pressure on the exterior of the closure and in a linear directionwill cause the inclined surfaces on the ends of the bell cranks 80 to becammed outwardly. As a result, the latches 82 will be forced into theright angle passages 70 and 72, the spring 24 yielding to permitswinging of the bell cranks. The closure will then assume the positionshown in Fig. 2 with the latches 82 snapping back into position forengaging the underside of the flange 12 and the sealing gasket 66engaging the topside of the ange 12. In this position of the closure aslight clearance willexist between the ange 54 and the upper wall of theframe 14. Because of this clearance the spring 61 is enabled to performits function in resiliently holding the sealing gasket 66 in sealingposition. The lugs 74 contact the outer cover 32 so that pressureexerted on the latter when the closure is-in sealing position will notunlatch the device from the ilange 12. The locking cylinder 20 must beturned with a Akey if the closure is to be removed from the pipe 10.

With a turning of the locking cylinder 20, the lingers 101 and 102 arecammed downwardy by the two plates 96 to compress the spring 24 and movethe latches 82 outwardly. The closure-is` then `unlocked from the fillerpipe and `free for removal.

1. A press-on closure for the end of a filler pipe having an outwardlyextending circular flange, said closure come prising a frame open at oneside to receive said ange, hell crank levers pivotally Vsupported onsaid frame with opposed latch ends :for engaging said ange, 'the otherends of `said levers extending toward the axis of the closure, a lockcylinder releasably mounted in said frame for rotation, spring 'meansacting on said other ends and urging saidbell crank levers to lrotateinto latching positions, and cam means mounted Yon said `lockcylinderand frame for rotating said levers away from latching positions uponrotation of said `lock cylinder in one direction.

2. A press-on closure comprising a frame with an aperture adapted to titover an out-turned flange of a Vfiller pipe, a casing covering saidframe and fixed in position relative thereto, a locking cylinder mountedfor rotation in said -frame and accessible `.with a key through saidcasing, a cup'member loosely attached to said frame and having anannular seat for engaging said flange, a rst coil spring compressedaxially between said frame and cup member, bell cranks with pivotingmeans xed in positions on said frame within said casing, opposed latchends on said bell cranks and adapted to engage said .pipe tiange, asecond coil spring urging the .other ends of said bell cranks into theirclosure locking positions, cam means including a disk with ngersattached to said locking cylinder to rotate therewith and inclinedguides xed 4- A press-oa closure for the end .0f a filler pipe having anoutwardly extending peripheral ange, said closure comprising atrame openat .one side to receive -said ange, levers pivotally supported on ysaidtrame with opposed and inwardly directed latch ends for engaging saidange, other ends of said levers extending toward the axis of theclosure, a casing rigidly xed to said frame and covering said levers, alock cylinder releasably mounted for rotation in said frame andaccessible .through said easing with a key to effect the release,:spring means interposed be.- tween said other ends and `said frame andurging said Vlatch ends inwardly, cam means mounted on said lock,cylinder and Aframe for rotating said latch ends outwardly to theirunlocked positions upon rotation of said lock cylinder in one directionby use of said key, and said latch ends hav.- ing surfaces inclined tosaid axis and effective to force said latch ends outwardly when said.closure is being applied `to said iiller `pipe ange against Ythe forceof .said spring means.

References Cited in the til@ of this patent UNITED .STATES ,PATENTS2,816,433 Friend Dec. 1'7, 1 957

